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Who is the most successful Nigerian leader?

November 29, 2012 by OBayo Olupohunda (bayoolupohunda@yahoo.com)

Bayo Olupohunda

Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Till date, the country has been ruled by 14 presidents and heads of state. A breakdown of the history of leadership since the chord of colonialism was severed 52 years ago shows that our affairs have been run by eight military rulers and six civilians. The demographics of power play between the political and military class reveal that the soldiers were around for 29 years while the civilians have held forte for 23 years. We are currently under a democracy; one that has lasted since 1999, the longest in the country’s chequered history. Who has been the most successful Nigerian leader since independence? Given the crisis of leadership that has stunted the potential of the country, has any leader transcended the mediocrity or shown any flash of brilliance?

The fate of our country today has been variously ascribed to the failure of leadership. This, of course, is an affirmation of Prof. Chinua Achebe’s assertion in his seminal work, The Trouble With Nigeria. It is also a known fact that no nation can rise above the quality of its leadership. Many have also pointed to followership as critical to the success of any nation. But a leader has to lead and inspire the citizens. In this wise, the root of our underdevelopment today, I dare say, can be traced to the absence of visionary leadership. If the country has not risen beyond the mediocrity of leadership provided by its leaders in the 52 years of sovereignty, then it can safely be argued that no Nigerian leader, past or present, dead or alive, can lay claim to being successful. The question of who has been the most successful leader in a country bereft of leadership is ironical-may be an absurdity. But this question has become relevant. In recent times, one has noted with dismay how past leaders often do comparisons of their tenure with the present in their bid to re-write history. Many of them wish they could come back to right the wrongs or simply complete the rout. For example, former President Olusegun Obasanjo who ruled both as a military ruler and civilian president is currently engaged in a war of words with President Goodluck Jonathan. His former aides have also continued to paint a glowing picture of his eight-year tenure. In his first term as a democratically elected president, his public statements were often characterised with lamentation about how the Nigerian situation had deteriorated so abysmally in the two decades since he left power in 1979.

But Obasanjo is not alone in the attempt to launder the image of his tenure. The efforts by former rulers to demonise their predecessors have never gone unnoticed by their victims. For example, the former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, has never taken kindly to such portrayal of his person as one that institutionalised corruption or that he failed to build a single power plant in his eight years in power. In fact, the man who famously referred to himself as the “Evil genius” and was branded a Maradona for raising deceit and inconsistency of policy in government to statecraft was so pained that he re-contested the Presidency in 2007. But he miscalculated. His ambition to rule the country died with his ill-advised Eagle Square declaration. He also considers himself successful and has resisted all attempts to blame him for the nation’s woes.

In assessing the success of Nigerian leaders or the absence of it, it will be worthy to point out that the country has never been this bad. First generation Nigerians often reminisced the “good old days”. The period immediately after independence; the first generation of Nigerian leaders has been credited with laying the foundation for the country. That period in history, the Tafawa Balewa era, is the Nigerian Utopia. Ironically, historians have also blamed the collapse of the First Republic on the same leaders for not being able to prevent the anarchy that led to the first coup d’état. The hopes of a bright future soon became a nightmarish dream. The leaders, they note, chose to champion ethnic interest. In 1966, the regime of Maj.-Gen. J.T.U. Aguiyi Ironsi was cut short by a bloody coup’detat before he could assert his leadership. Note that the political environment that existed during Ironsi’s brief regime was inimical to development. Events soon spun out of control and the commander-in -chief lost his life in a period that would remain the bloodiest in Nigeria’s history. The Yakubu Gowon regime existed in the shadows of the civil war that pitched the Igbo ethnic group against the Federal Government. Thus, Gowon can be assessed in the way he prosecuted the war. Was he a successful war leader? Was he fair to all concerned in the way he handled the aftermath of the war? At the same time, however, Gowon has also been praised for building critical infrastructure especially in Lagos, then federal capital territory. But given the resources available at the time, did Gowon maximise available funds judiciously to set the country on the path of progress? That is the question begging for answer.

The Gen. Murtala Muhammed regime was credited to have reformed the Nigerian civil service said to be deeply steeped in corruption. But he, however, did not survive the coup’ detat which terminated his government’s bold stance against a notoriously corrupt Nigerian state. Obasanjo’s regime, which succeeded it, was noted for its efforts in agriculture through the Operation Feed the Nation project. In an era when the military dominated our socio-political life, Obasanjo earned worldwide applause for handing over power to President Shehu Shagari.

However, the Second Republic is adjudged to be the most profligate. The corrupt depiction of the Shagari administration has often overshadowed its achievements, if there was any. After its toppling in 1983, the dizzying succession of attempted and successful coup’ detats set the country on the spin of bloodletting and stagnation. The single most talked-about achievement of the Muhammadu Buhari regime was its War Against Indiscipline, an attempt at re-ordering the moral compass of Nigerians. The eight years of Babangida, as noted earlier, however added a new dimension to military incursion into governance as we know it. The country became a huge laboratory for the experimentation of policies including the International Monetary Fund’s Structural Adjustment Programme. Many attempts at handing over power to civilians were deliberately truncated through an endless transition. He eventually conducted an election which the late MKO Abiola won on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party. He, unfortunately, annulled the election. The scar of that action on the nation has yet to heal. He was later forced out. Yet, Babangida considers his regime successful. Was he? Chief Earnest Shonekan, the taciturn technocrat who headed the Interim National Government did not stay long. He was consumed by the intrigues of military power play. The late Sani Abacha’s regime was defined by its brutality, hit squad, incarceration of Abiola and earning Nigeria the status of a Pariah state. He also schemed to become a life president. Years after his demise, funds stolen by his government are still being repatriated. Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar organised the election that ushered in the Fourth Republic. But Abiola died under his watch.

The jury is still out on Obasanjo’s eight-year stay in power. The late President Umaru Yar’Adua touted the rule law. But death snatched him away too soon. President Jonathan has promised to be the most successful Nigeria president ever when his tenure ends in 2015. Of all this lot, who then is the most successful Nigeria leader?

One-eyed king (Obj) in the land of the blind (Jonathan,Ibb,Shagari,Buhari,Abdulsalam etc.

Concerned

I dont know the best but so far Jonathan is the Worst All Round – Worst in Corruption (5Trillion in 2yrs!), Insecurity, Unemployment (Staggering 72% when Obama was lambasted at a mere 7.9%), Education (Churning out more idiots than ever before), Envirmental Crisis (Flood, etc), Power (Now Rain is stopping and the real power capacity will show), Lawlessness (Everyone just taking laws into their hands see Aluu town case) and No Justice!

ROMANUS NJOKU

It is really painful when people express opinions that are completely false and think in their hearts that they are correct. The views expressed by CONCERN cannot be anything near the truth. Jonathan is not the worst in corruption. We might think that Jonathan is corrupt simply because He has allowed his government to be probed and this is commendable since no Nigerian leader has ever done this. If Jonathan would permit a probe to be done on NNPC and other key ministries (works, power, defense etc) during the Obasnjo and Yar Adua’s era, the 5 trillion in 2 yrs quoted by this writer is just a child’s play. The corruption that we are witnessing today is a carry over from the previous governments which did absolutely nothing to check it. I will commend Obasanjo for some of his policies: privatization, National Health Insurance etc but will criticize him for very poor implementation of these policies. If Jonathan can selflessly and consistently implement some of these OBJ’S policies, fish out and punish BH sponsors and prevail on the judiciary to begin to jail corrupt government functionaries, He might be the most successful just like he claimed that he will be. MAY GOD HELP HIM.

Mr president

THEY ARE ALL THIEVES AND THEY ALL FAILED,JUDGING FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY,WHICH THEY ARCHITECTED.

moji

no one

Ben iyke

Nobody has ever lead Nigerian sucessful except zik of Africa

Sitandah

None of them is good enough to talk about talkless of rating them…
They should all be hanged

Emeka

the most succesful Nigerian leader was actual never a leader. Chief Awolowo is still the reason my people are playing catch-up with the west and the only reason there is a lagacy in one part of Nigeria. Before you say anything based on your hatred for him, ask yourself this what good lagacy(s) has been left by who you are thinking of. Hate or love him, he is the reason the west is the best place (generally speaking) to live in Nigeria

olabanjioluwasegun

we seems to have forgotten the situation of nig bf obasanjo took over in 1999 we forget things quickly in this country and we are not appreciative that is why the.north ruled for so long those who cannot say anything then who are counted as second class citizens have suddenly found there voice. they can now abuse obasanjo may. God forgive us.

Abu patience inikpi

I haven’t seen a successful leader in my lifetime …… Maybe in the nearest future if God decides to have mercy on us but nt nw

marcel

Nigeria never get president……

Ige

The question should be : Who is the least worst leader in Nigeria? For all we have had, there has been no successful leader. Gowon – lacked foresight, IBB – clueless, OBJ – brazen avenger, Yar adua – confused, Jonathan – weak.

Reward

Good question!

Emmanuel

Bayo olupohunda a great writer

Dele common sense

The problem is that these leaders came out of the nigerian culture which is genetically OPPRESSIVE ..you are getting the leaders from within you hence oppresive culture will always produce oppressive leaders ..if you really love nigeria ..you will push for a 5 year contract for a foreign ex leader to lead ..may be Germany or Britain or American..everything you need , electricity Power ( that you cannot or refuse to produce in 15 years ) , food and the basic amenities that have eluded the common nigeria ,will be sorted within 2 years ..you know why , a non-Nigeria find it odd that a country like nigeria cannot be self sufficient in basic amenities ..this defies logic ..the truth is that a Nigerian cannot rule nIGERIA…you have tried it for 52 years and its not working …just get a non nigeria that has no iorta of the nigerian mentality ,your problem solved without fasting and PRAYER….i have seen the way Nigerians live in UK and American …exactly the way the live in Nigeria , destroying govt property , fraud and running down neighbourhoods and renting accommodation , some of them find it odd there there is 24hr electricity and water ..Am tired of you all

henry

Obj

Kay

Bihari / idiagbon

shoxy

if every successive government is always worse than the predecessor, can Nigeria survive the next government? I don’t think so.

Dele common sense

Nigerians cannot be rule Nigeria , its simple Logic

Adewale

Nigerian faith is in their hand. The government we could point to, to be fair among the series of govts we!ve have in ths state of nation is dt of Buari / Idiagbon. Until we stop celebrating these politician, that are funs of embezzling our money and refushng all their carjo or deceit material that given them chance to toying away our future, it then Nigerian we start having good leaders.

Dele common sense

Give up Nigeria on a renewable five year contract to the Germans/or any foreign leader that has been proven to show productivity…then it will work ..and your prayers and fasting will cease ..at least for electricity and basic amenities that you simple just cannot provide to the surprise of the whole world ..Democracy is not just your thing but you can organise parties and copy foreign programmes but cannot copy good governance .. time is running out ..it is obvious Nigerians cannot rule themselve ..only Nigerians cannot see it

Ayo Muda

The beautiful ones are not yet born!

ChazO

Buhari was the most successful living president. The fact that we still talk in nostalgia about his war against indicipline and that some of the progrrams he initiated are still in play today.

ROMANUS NJOKU

The only single achievement of Buhari as rightly pointed out by the writer is his war against indiscipline which did not last a day longer than his regime. Buhari’s government lacked focus. Their was no clear political nor economic agenda. It was like a government on a revenge mission. Sometimes- I question the essence of that government. We definitely would have been better as a nation now if Buhari had allowed the second republic to wobble and fumble and correct itself. Buhari’s military incursion into politics was unnecessary. Jonathan might still be the most successful but only time will tell.

ayi-baba

@Romanus Njoku, you mean Buhari could have left Shagari government alone to correct itself, like the case since 1999? Common, some statements stink.

timmy

Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief. Matthew Aremu Okikiola Olusegun Obasanjo. The best and the most successful Nigerian Leader/President till date.